Jason Manford to host 'Apprentice for comics'

Jason Manford is set to present a new ITV1 comedy talent show entitled 'Show Me The Funny', which has been dubbed the 'Apprentice' for comics

Jason Manford is to present a new ITV1 comedy talent show.

The hilarious host will front six-part series 'Show Me The Funny' - dubbed 'The Apprentice' for comics - which will see 10 comedians compete against each other in a bid to win £100,000, a national tour and a DVD deal.

With the contestants having to avoid being voted off by judges Alan Davies and Kate Copstick, the gag-tastic guests will have to create five minutes of new material each week.

However, Jason thinks this could have put a lot of people off entering the competition.

Jason told BANG Showbiz: "Most comics would've looked at the list of what you get from winning and said, '£100,000, that's brilliant, and the next thing is brilliant and the next.'

"But then they would've got to the bit that says they have to come up with five minutes of new material and gone, 'No. I don't think this competition is for me.' "

The wannabes will travel around the country playing to various audiences - from soldiers to school children - and a new guest judge, including Jo Brand, Johnny Vegas and Bob Mortimer, will join the panel each week.

As the wannabe comics gather material for their performance they are given challenges to complete, and the winners of the tasks will decide what time each comic will perform their gig - known as the running order - which Jason thinks is a "really important" part of the show.

He added: "The running order is really important and if you said that to a layman they wouldn't really understand.

"But if you're going on first to a new crowd then you don't know what to expect and you don't want to be going on last with material that people have already used."